Healthy Foods (Green Eggs and Ham)

Guest Author - Taisha Turner

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss is a delightful book to teach children to eat healthy foods. Dr. Seuss teaches this important life lesson in a picture book. The book’s rhymes and whimsical characters are a wonderful way to capture small children’s attention.

Little children are picky eaters. It is a chore to introduce healthy foods to them. Vegetables and fruits are the hardest to add to their diet. It is important for children to eat vegetables and fruits instead of snacks.

In Green Eggs and Ham, Sam-I-am asks, “Do you like green eggs and ham?” The character, No-Name, replies, “I do not like green eggs and ham.” No-Name, like a child, puts his nose and hand in the air to ward off the foods. He defiantly refuses to eat the new foods.

Sam-I-am tries to entice No-Name to try the new foods. He uses rhyming situations to get the stubborn No-Name to eat a tiny bite. "Would No-Name try them in the rain on a train? Would he try them in a box with a fox? Would he try them with a mouse in a house?"

Dr. Seuss gives a life lesson to parents trying to introduce healthy foods to young children, also. Just keep trying! Sam-I-am does not quit. He keeps trying. No-Name tries finally the green eggs and ham. Guess what happens? No-Name likes the food.

"He will eat it in the rain on a train. No-Name will eat the food in a box with a fox. He is willing to eat the food with a mouse in a house."

Green Eggs and Ham works on two levels. Children should try the healthy foods offered by parents. Parents should not quit offering new foods to children. A note to parents who are afraid of this method, Sam-I-am and No-name end the book the best of friends.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss and his other picture and board books are available at Amazon.com.

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